- Table View
- List View
Deaf Again: The Quest for a Healthy Deaf Identity
by Mark DrolsbaughJoin Mark Drolsbaugh in his fascinating journey from hearing toddler… to hard of hearing child… to deaf adolescent… and ultimately, to culturally Deaf adult. The struggle to find one’s place in the deaf community is challenging, as Drolsbaugh finds, yet there is one interesting twist: both his parents are also deaf. Even though the deaf community has always been there for him, right under his nose, Drolsbaugh takes the unbeaten path and goes on a zany, lifelong search… to become Deaf Again.
Black Fire—This Time, Volume 2: Ebook Edition
by Kofi AntwiIn this follow-up volume in the Black Fire—This Time series, over seventy-five poets and writers come together on the ongoing theme of "Black is Beautiful, Black is Powerful, Black is Home." Works ranging from poetry, fiction, essays, and drama cover a wide range of Black literature. This "continuum" of writing, as coined by Volume 1 editor Kim McMillon, brings together legends of the Black Arts era with contemporary writers in the tradition. This edition includes a hallmark work from the Black Arts era, We Own the Night by playwright and one of the last living legends Jimmy Garrett. Volume 2 of Black Fire—This Time will educate and inspire the next generation.
State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery (The Fina Mendoza Mysteries #2)
by Kitty Felde"A lively, diverse mystery with enjoyable, informative plotting and a relatable young female protagonist." – KIRKUS REVIEWS Fina Mendoza, the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman, solves mysteries inside the U.S. Capitol with help from a big orange dog named Senator Something. Fina's latest case: find the mysterious bird that pooped on the president's head during the State of the Union address. Is it Chickcharney, the legendary bird from the Caribbean? Did it fly to Washington D.C. with a secret message for the president? Or Congress? Or is the message for Fina from her mom who passed away not so many months ago? As Fina searches for clues, readers get a glimpse behind the scenes of American democracy, including a Congressional battle over immigration reform. There's another battle in her multigenerational home when Fina's grandmother Abuelita is nearly arrested at an immigration protest. Can Fina find Chickcharney and discover its secret message? The Fina Mendoza Mysteries, enhanced by supplemental materials and curriculum, provide a multidisciplinary introduction to civics education for elementary school readers. "The West Wing" meets Nancy Drew.
Holding The Reins: A Silver Pines Novel (Silver Pines Ranch Series)
by Paisley HopeIn this steamy cowboy romance, a woman returns to her family's ranch after a broken engagement and finds herself falling for her brother's best friend—the first novel in the Silver Pines Ranch series.Take a deep breath and let go of the reins.Cecilia &“CeCe&” Ashby is finally escaping the toxic relationship that has consumed her entire adult life. She's returning to her hometown of Laurel Creek, Kentucky, and to her family&’s equestrian ranch, unsure of what the future holds. Nash Carter, the newly retired superstar of the Dallas Stars, is Laurel Creek's hometown hero, local business owner, and notorious bachelor. He&’s also the unofficial fourth sibling in the Ashby clan. It&’s been years since his days of tormenting CeCe with her older brothers Wade and Cole. So, when CeCe needs a job, he feels drawn to help her.Nash can&’t seem to take his eyes off of his best friend's sister, and it seems she&’s been staring right back, not without animosity left over from his childish teasing back in the day. Despite their initial reluctance, the fire between them ignites and it isn't long before they jump into the flames.
The Skeleton House
by Katherine AllumMeg' s life is woven into the fabric of St Stephens. It' s a tapestry made of two precious children, a hidden truth and a husband whose ideas of a perfect wife do not match her own. When Meg puts her foot down on a third kid, gets a job and is empowered by the same book group that was meant to keep her in her place, her marriage begins to disintegrate. Set in a tiny Mormon community,this is a novel about resilience and courage – the fierceness of mother-love and the power that comes with never forgetting who you really are.
Father of the Lost Boys for Younger Readers
by Yuot A. AlaakOnce, there was a man who rescued 20,000 boys from almost certain death. That man was my father. One of those boys was me. This is our story.During the Second Sudanese Civil War, thousands of boys were displaced or orphaned. In 1989, Mecak Ajang Alaak led the Lost Boys on a four-year journey from Ethiopia to Sudan to protect them from becoming child soldiers. This is the abridged account of that extraordinary true story.
Avast!: Pirate Stories from Transgender Authors
by Michael Earp Alison EvansGet ready to set sail with a crew of rebels and misfits in this thrilling anthology of pirate tales. From CD burners to space pirates with an otherworldly crew, these stories blur the lines between criminal and separatist, playful and heartfelt and showcase a range of unique characters and found families.Featuring seven long-form pieces of writing, including a graphic novella and a verse novella, this collection has been edited by and features trans and non-binary writers, ensuring a fresh and diverse perspective on the pirate genre. So come aboard and discover a world of queer pirates, grey morals and homebrewed ale.
Breaking Pointe
by Chenée MarrapodiAmelia loves ballet more than anything, but the sudden arrival of an intense new teacher shifts the Academy focus from classical to contemporary dance. Amelia is out of her depth with the edgy choreography and unsettled by its world-ending theme, especially when a shock diagnosis really might bring her life crashing down.Valentina is completely at home with the new style but has troubles off the dance floor. As she desperately strives to secure a scholarship and save her dance career, money problems and an unexpected romance have her in a complete spin.With so much at breaking point, the girls will need to decide what really matters before everything falls apart.
I Fight, You Fight: Life isn't about the hand you're dealt, but how you choose to play it
by Alex NobleThe inspiring story of a young man whose wisdom and strength can teach us all how to live life to the fullest, no matter what it throws at us. Sixteen-year-old Alex Noble was a high school rugby star with a promising sporting career ahead of him when an on-field injury left him fighting for his life in the ICU. Following a four-day coma and a diagnosis of C4 quadriplegia, Alex&’s first words to his brother Zac were, &‘If I fight, you fight.&’ These words became a war cry as Alex&’s friends, family and community rallied around him, watching in awe as he fought to regain control over his body and defy his diagnosis. From learning to breathe and move again to travelling the world, starting his own business, and even going skydiving, Alex&’s story is about the power of mastering your own mind, finding happiness and taking risks to achieve your goals – no matter how out of reach they may seem. Full of warmth, humour and insight, this is a book that will teach you principles to live your life by, written by a young man who has put them into practice.I Fight, You Fight is so much more than an inspiring memoir – it&’s a philosophy for finding happiness and reaching your true potential.
Safe Space: My experience of racism in Australia and how I found hope through community
by Alyssa Huynh'A searingly honest and impassioned account of being an advocate in the social media era, Alyssa's voice is fierce, urgent and brave; and filled with deep familial love. This book burns with an urgency and clarion call to action.' Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days This is a book for anyone who believes that racism has no place in Australia&’s future and is ready to take action.&‘I&’ve played the role of the quiet and embarrassed Asian girl who shyly laughs along more than I should have in my lifetime. Enough is enough.&’ Growing up, Alyssa Huynh heard stories from her family about their journey from Vietnam to Australia following the fall of Saigon and the racism they experienced upon arrival. While the discrimination she faced was different, she never quite felt like she belonged either. Longing for a safe space, she turned to the internet. Through sharing her writing online, she created a supportive community for fellow Asians and people of colour with similar experiences, as well as for allies. When some of her views went viral, important conversations were sparked, but there was also racist backlash – showing her that the work was necessary and her voice had impact. Honest and heartfelt, Safe Space is unapologetically angry and sincerely hopeful. Alyssa explores the challenges she has faced as an Asian-Australian and those that made her the advocate she is today. She also offers practical advice, both to those who are victims of racism and wish to add their voice to the discourse or deepen their connection to their cultural identities, and to allies who want learn more about how they can meaningfully show their support. This is a book for anyone who believes that racism has no place in Australia's future and is ready to take action.
Love from Scratch
by Amy HuttonOpposites attract in this laugh-out-loud rom-com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who minds his beloved dog, and the cat that steals his heart. Ethan James has a problem: he&’s about to start shooting a movie and he needs someone to mind his anxious dog, Harry. This film could make or break Ethan's career, and he knows he has to give it all his attention, but Harry's new minder turns out to be more of a hindrance than a help. She's gorgeous and funny, and throws so much shade in his direction that Ethan can't think straight. Hazel Conor has a problem: she&’s just lost her job as a sous chef at the fancy beachside restaurant she uphauled her life for. And if she doesn&’t get another job soon, she won&’t be able to afford food – or worse, cat food, and then her grouchy cat Kevin will finally murder her in her sleep. So when she sees an ad for an easy dog minder job, she goes for it. Hazel finds everything about Ethan annoying; he&’s flashy, flirty, and a total charmer. She probably wouldn&’t look at him twice if it wasn&’t for her cat. Because Kevin, the cat who hates everyone, is totally smitten with Ethan James. And with each purr, cheek rub and head bump that Kevin bestows on Ethan, Hazel begins to wonder if there&’s something her cat can see that she can&’t.
Pet, Pet, Slap
by Andrew BattershillRocky meets Elmore Leonard meets Miranda July as Pillow Wilson, a past-his-prime boxer, trains for his last title shot. Shenanigans ensue.Having recently undergone an ethical awakening, Pillow has converted to veganism and is in the middle of trying to rehome his menagerie of exotic pets (including Jersey Joe the sloth and Rigoberto the shark) in humane animal shelters. His roommate, Sherlock Holmes, has recently faked his own death by waterfall, and has now gone incognito and is Pillow’s in-house doping expert.The thing is, Pillow doesn’t feel all that motivated to train for his next big fight, and he’s further distracted from his training when his car and pet shark mysteriously disappear. Luckily, Sherlock is a master of deduction. What follows is part underdog sports story, part work of Neozoological Surrealism, and part existential mystery novel."Reckless, desperate, and achingly human, Battershill remains funnier than anyone else on your shelf." – Andrew F. Sullivan, author of The Marigold"The adventures of Battershill’s returning protagonist Pillow are witty and occasionally absurd, but the story never trips on ironies. Battershill twines the humanity of pulp noir with the unsettling play of surrealism to build a world in which pet sloths, Sherlock Holmes, and skilled drug pushers all seem to have found their ideal home." – Naben Ruthnum, author of A Hero of Our Time"Pillow Wilson is one of my favourite characters in CanLit, and he is in fine form in Pet, Pet, Slap, a deeply funny, inventive, bizarre, heartbreaker of a book. Andrew Battershill not only writes with that magical alchemy of humour and pathos that most writers only wish they could pull off, but he somehow also balances surrealism and profound humanity in a way I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to figure out. I haven’t had this much fun reading in a long, long time." – Amy Jones, author of Pebble & Dove
Yesterdays
by Harold Sonny LadooA rediscovered classic, Yesterdays turns colonialism on its head.Originally published in 1974, Yesterdays is nominally the story of one man’s attempt to launch a Hindu Mission from Trinidad to convert the heathen Christians of Canada. Yet this conceit quickly derails into a ribald, outrageous portrait of West Indian village life, and a prescient, proto-parody of what would become the archetypal 'immigrant story.' Sacred cows both figurative and literal are skewered in a series of hilarious and increasingly bawdy encounters between villagers who gossip, cheat, and steal, but also form a balanced, if chaotic, collectivity. Yesterdays is one of the great lost English-language novels of the previous century—perhaps ahead of its own time upon its initial release, but sure to appeal to 21st-century audiences who will appreciate its startling prescience, linguistic inventiveness, as well as its bold singularity amid a canon glutted with paint-by-numbers respectability."Yesterdays upends conventional narratives that find sexual liberation in the postindustrial city. Ladoo's agrarian villagers inhabit the fullness of their complex humanities in audaciously funny and often uncomfortable ways, and are radically at ease with their fluid sexual appetites. An under-appreciated gem, his novel is as much a testament to Ladoo's skillful observation and rendering of the world that surrounded him as it is to the value of being tellers of our own stories." – Andil Gosine, author of Nature's Wild: Love, Sex and Law in the Caribbean"Yesterdays is the novel, underappreciated on its initial release and since forgotten, that should have charted a deviant, audacious path through the staid self-seriousness of Canadian literature. Let's hope there's still time." – Pasha Malla, author of All You Can Kill
Living Things
by Munir HachemiWINNER OF A 2023 PEN TRANSLATES AWARDThis punk-like blend of Roberto Bolaño’s The Savage Detectives and Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream heralds an exciting new voice in international fictionLiving Things follows four recent graduates – Munir, G, Ernesto, and Álex – who travel from Madrid to the south of France to work the grape harvest. Except things don't go as planned: they end up working on an industrial chicken farm and living in a campground, where a general sense of menace takes hold. What follows is a compelling and incisive examination of precarious employment, capitalism, immigration, and the mass production of living things, all interwoven with the protagonist’s thoughts on literature and the nature of storytelling. "Gorgeously labyrinthine." – Molly McGhee, author of Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind"Startling, compulsive, and vibrant; Living Things reads like an ignition. The most honest thing I’ve read in a long time about being young and alive in a beautiful, horrible world." – Dizz Tate, author of Brutes"Living Things dips blithely in and out of genres and packs more ideas in its lean frame than seems possible. It’s a novel posing as a journal posing as a meditation on the function of the journal that playfully interrogates form and content in art, what it means to write, and what it means to care or not care about anything, or about everything. Munir Hachemi is a magician, and his marvellous book, deftly translated by Julia Sanches, defies adequate description." – James Greer, author of Bad Eminence
Abolish Social Work (As We Know It)
by Craig Fortier Edward Hon-Sing Wong Mj RwigemaAbolish Social Work (As We Know It) responds to the timely and important call for police abolition by analyzing professional social work as one alternative commonly proposed as a ready-made solution to ending police brutality. Drawing on both historical analysis and lessons learned from decades of organizing abolitionist and decolonizing practices within the field and practice of social work (including social service, community organizing, and other helping fields), this book is an important contribution in the discussion of what abolitionist social work could look like. This edited volume brings together predominantly BIPOC and queer/trans* social work survivors, community-based activists, educators, and frontline social workers to propose both an abolitionist framework for social work practice and a transformative framework that calls for the dissolution and restructuring of social work as a profession. Rejecting the practices and values encapsulated by professional social work as embedded in carceral and colonial systems, Abolish Social Work (As We Know It) moves us towards a social work framework guided by principles of mutual aid, accountability, and relationality led by Indigenous, Black, queer/trans*, racialized, immigrant, disabled, poor and other communities for whom social work has inserted itself into their lives.
A Communist for the RCMP: The Uncovered Story of a Social Movement Informant
by Dennis GruendingIn 1941, the RCMP recruited Frank Hadesbeck, a Spanish Civil War veteran, as a paid informant to infiltrate the Communist Party. For decades, he informed not only upon communists, but also upon hundreds of other people who held progressive views. Hadesbeck’s “Watch Out” lists on behalf of the Security Service included labour activists, medical doctors, lawyers, university professors and students, journalists, Indigenous and progressive farm leaders, members of the clergy, and anyone involved in the peace and human rights movements. Defying every warning given to him by his handlers, Hadesbeck kept secret notes. Using these notes, author Dennis Gruending recounts how the RCMP spied upon thousands of Canadians. Hadesbeck’s life and career are in the past, but RCMP surveillance continues in new guises. As Canada’s petroleum industry doubles down on its extraction plans in the oil sands and elsewhere, the RCMP and other state agencies provide support, routinely branding Indigenous land defenders and their allies in the environmental movement as potential terrorists. They share information and tactics with petroleum industry “stakeholders” in what has been described as a “surveillance web” intended to suppress dissent. A Communist for the RCMP provides an inside account of Hadesbeck’s career and illustrates how the RCMP uses surveillance of activists to enforce the status quo.
Higher Expectations: How to Survive Academia, Make it Better for Others, and Transform the University
by Leslie Kern Roberta HawkinsHigher Expectations is a practical guide to navigating academia for people who want to improve their own day-to-day work lives and create better conditions for everyone. Universities are broken: they’re built on systems that are discriminatory, hierarchical, and individualistic. This hurts the people that work and learn in them and limits the potential for universities to contribute to a better world. But we can raise our expectations. Hawkins and Kern envision a university transformed by collaboration, care, equity, justice, and multiple knowledges. Drawing on real-world, international examples where people and institutions are already doing things in new ways, Higher Expectations offers concrete advice on how to make these transformations real. It covers many areas of academic life including course design, conferencing, administration, research teams, managing workloads and more. Designed for faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other scholars, Higher Expectations delivers hope and practical actions you can take to start making change now. It is a must-have for everyone working in academia today.
Disobedience
by Daniel Sarah KarasikShael lives in a vast prison camp, a monstrosity developed after centuries of warfare and environmental catastrophe. As a young transfeminine person, they risk abject violence if their identity and love affair with Coe, an insurrectionary activist, are discovered. But desire and rebellion flare, and soon Shael escapes to Riverwish, a settlement attempting to forge a new way of living that counters the camp’s repression.As the complexities of this place unfold before Shael, Disobedience asks: How can a community redress harm without reproducing unaccountable forms of violence? How do we heal? What might a compassionate, sustainable model of justice look like?This is a remarkable work of queer and trans speculative fiction that imagines how alternative forms of connection and power can refuse the violent institutions that engulf us.
Nauetakuan, a Silence for a Noise (Literature in Translation Series)
by Howard Scott Natasha Kanapé Fontaine“ What' s happening to you is just that the visible and the invisible are finding each other through you. You are the passageway for our reconnection. You and your generation are the ones who will give our memory back to us... ” Monica, a young woman studying art history in Montreal, has lost touch with her Innu roots. When an exhibition unexpectedly articulates a deep, intergenerational wound, she begins to search for a stronger connection to her Indigeneity. A quickly found friendship with Katherine, an Indigenous woman whose life is filled with culture and community, underscores for Monica the possibilities of turning from assimilation and toxic masculinity to something much deeper— and more universal than she expects. Travelling across the continent, from Eastern Canada to Vancouver to Mexico City, Monica connects with other Indigenous artists and thinkers, learning about the power of traditional ways and the struggles of other Nations. Throughout these journeys, physical and creative, she is guided by visions of giant birds and ancestors, who draw her back home to Pessamit. Reckonings with family and floods await, but amidst strange tides, she reconnects to her language, Innu-aimun, and her people. A timely and riveting story of reclamation, matriarchies, and the healing ability of traditional teachings, Nauetakuan, a Silence for a Noise underscores how reconnecting to lineage and community can transform Indigenous futures.
Holy Winter (Literature in Translation Series)
by Maria Stepanova Sasha DugdaleA profoundly moving book-length posm from “Russia’s greatest living poet” (Poetry) and the acclaimed author of In Memory of Memory. Maria Stepanova was a highly influential figure in Moscow’s cosmopolitan literary scene for many years until Putin strangled it, along with civil liberties and dissent. Written in a frenzy of poetic inspiration, Holy Winter speaks of winter and war, banishment and exile, social isolation and existential abandonment. Here, she masterfully interweaves confusing signals from the media and social networks, love letters, travelogues, and fairy tales, creating a polyphonic evocation of frozen time and its slow thawing. Like Joseph Brodsky before her, Stepanova has mastered modern poetry’s rich repertoire of forms, moving effortlessly between the traditions of Russian, European, and transatlantic literature. With echoes of Ovid, Pushkin and Lermontov, Mandelstam and Tsvetaeva, and kindred poets like Sylvia Plath, Inger Christensen, and Anne Carson, Stepanova’s is a potent and vital voice like no other. With an afterword by the author.
Fat Girl Magic
by Kat SavageFat Girl Magic is a unique dissection of the truly powerful journey from the way others perceive, label, and judge our bodies to our own discoveries, acceptance, and love we find for ourselves.This beautifully presented edition invokes a witchcraft framework to explore the journey to self-love and acceptance in a uniquely honest way. Intended to be thought provoking and insightful, this collection will pull you from your loneliness, help you realize the magic within yourself, and welcome you into a coven of healing and the shared ideal that all bodies deserve respect, love, and space within our society.
Ballad for Jasmine Town (Eidolonia #2)
by Molly RingleA law-abiding metalworking witch and a form-shifting half-fae musician embark on a secret romance, but soon become caught in escalating tensions between fae and humans that threaten their hometown. The second story after the popular Lava Red Feather Blue comes alive in Ballad for Jasmine Town.The town of Miryoku has ocean views, fragrant jasmine vines, and a thriving arts scene, including a popular nineties cover band. It also sits on the verge, sharing a border with fae territory, a realm of both enchantments and dangers. Rafi has been unusual all his life: a human born to a fae mother, a mortal denizen of the fae realm, a form-shifter. He aches to join the human world, but prejudices and legal tangles stand in his way. After the death of his beloved human grandmother at the careless hands of fae, his only connection to humans is the cover band he plays with—until he meets Roxana. Roxana is a dutiful single parent and a metalworking witch specializing in healing charms. When she meets Rafi one summer night and repairs an instrument string for him, they strike up a friendship that soon kindles into love. But she&’s moving away from Miryoku at summer&’s end, and Rafi must stay, determined to stop the fae who keep hurting townsfolk. Together, Roxana and Rafi formulate an idea that might tame the most dangerous offenders—or might only accelerate the doom of their hometown.
Reborn
by Abraham RodriguezDelve into actor Abraham Rodriguez's raw journey of intimacy, sexual identity, religion, and self-discovery through captivating visuals and bilingual verse.Step into the vivid world of Reborn, the second collection of poems and photographs by actor Abraham Rodriguez. Delve into a raw and personal journey of intimacy, sexual identity, religion, and self-discovery through captivating visuals and confessional verse in both English and Spanish. Rodriguez's lens captures the essence of transformation, guiding you through the shadows to embrace a rebirth that illuminates even the darkest nights, fostering healing and unveiling new opportunities. Are you ready to be reborn?
Her, Him & I: Poems
by Christian WeissmannA poignant collection of poetry and prose that tackles the complexities of heartache, gender roles, queerness, and toxic masculinity.Introspective, vulnerable, and tantalizing, this is a love letter to queerness — capturing the joy, grief, ecstasy, and hope that accompany it. The poems tackle the complexities of infatuation, heartache, sexual assault, and toxic masculinity. Across three acts, Weissmann offers readers an unfiltered view into his psyche through several romantic relationships. These poems magnify the reality of exploring emotional and physical intimacy with multiple genders, all while navigating the journey of self-love. Her, Him & I is a coming-of-age celebration of heartbreak and healing.
ninitohtênân / We Listen (Nohkom series #3)
by Caitlin Dale NicholsonThe third book in the Nôhkom series, in Cree and English, tells a story about gathering leaves for Labrador tea, while listening in different ways. A child, her family and her friend have arrived at their favorite picnic spot by the lake, but before they eat lunch Nôhkom suggests they pick leaves for Labrador tea. Once among the trees, Nôhkom pauses for a moment to listen, and the others do too. Nôhkom prays, the girls take their turn, then Nôhkom shows them where to find the leaves. Nôhkom and Mom rest after harvesting, but the girls opt for a swim in the lake ... though they’re quite happy to warm up afterwards with freshly brewed Labrador tea. And when it’s time for the picnic, the girls take another turn at listening. Beautifully rendered paintings in acrylic on canvas show the family outing. Includes a recipe for Labrador tea as well as a salve made from Labrador Tea leaves. Key Text Features illustrations recipe informational note Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.